The best times to study and sleep

Many people who study at night say so because concentrate better, perform better and have fewer interruptions and distractions. A 2008 work of Chiron Hospital of Valencia ousted this ingrained habit in many students. The research findings indicated that the best times to study are around noon and between 4 and 5 pm. In fact, many experts say that the period of optimization matches the morning, decreases throughout the afternoon and especially at night, so it should work most of the course at the beginning of the day and leave the review or the easiest task for the last hour of the day.

To determine this time, the Valencia researchers relied on the biological clock of 632 children. From this circadian rhythm, fixed peak hours and lower concentration. According to experts, and although it may seem otherwise, the early hours of the day are not the most appropriate for the study, since it is still under the effects of sleep (school work showed great difficulty staying awake). The report also highlighted that even people who sleep eight hours a day did not show a longer attention span during the early hours.

Beyond the biological clock, there are other reasons to avoid the last hour for the study:

The brain is tired and operates with lower performance. Taking stimulants to stay awake creates a false sense of being awake, but in fact the brain is not in the best condition to hold. It’s hard to sleep well after being subjected to the pressure of the study or after taking a stimulant. And if it does not rest well, it’s hard to pay the next day. The idea is to lie relaxed, unstressed and the work done. Studying early afternoon allows to respond to any unforeseen, for example, that a matter be more complicated than you thought.